CVYX 


{■ 


Duke  University  Libraries 

Report  of  Commi 
Conf  Pam  #276 


REPORT 


OF 


COMMITTEE  ON  CLAIMS. 


IN  THE  CASE  OF  MARY  CLARK. 


House  of  Representatives, 

December  29,  loG3. 
Mr.  Speaker  : 

The  Committee  on  Claims,  to  whom  was  referred  the  petition  of  M  iry 
•lark  of  Washington  county.  Virginia   have  instructed  me  to  report: 

That  the  claim  of  the  p  titioner  is  that  she  may  l>e  paid  the  value 
of  a  certain  slave  belonging  to  her,  which,  under  an  act  of  the  Legis- 
lature  of  Virginia,  was  iiuor  ssed  by  the  Governor  of  that  State,  to 
labor  on  the  fortifications  around  the  ci'y  of  Richmond,  and  vvhile 
engaged  in  this  service  contracted,  it  is  alleged,  a  disease  of  which  he 
The  committee  have  reason  to  believe  that  there  is  a  large 
number  of  claims  of  this  description,  and  thas  any  attempt  to  a  'just 
them,  on  the  part  of  Congress,  would  necessarily  lead  to -great  em- 
barrassment and  confusion,  and  that  the  remedy  of  those  aggrivei),  is 
to  be  sought  from  State  authorities,  leaving  the  matter  to  be  adjusted 
between  the  State  and  Confederate  governments. 

The  committee,  therefore,  ask  to  be  discharged  from  the  further 
eonsideratian  of  the  petition  in  this  case,  and  that  it  do  lie  on  the 
table. 


To  the  honorable,  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  Confede- 
rate Studs  : 

The  petition  of  Mary  Clark  of  Washington  county.  Virginia^  would 
respectfully  represent: 

That  in  the  month  of  February,  1863.  a  slave  belonging  to  your 
petitioner,  named  Jacob,  was  impressed  under  the  act  of  the  Legisla- 
ture of  Virginia,  to  labor  on  the  fortifications  then  being  erected  for 
the  "defence  of  the  city  of  Richmond.  He  was  employed  in  this  duty 
for  about  fifty-one  days  ;  when  his  term  of  service  being  over,  he  was 
started  back,  along  with  other  slaves  from  this  county,  by  railway,  on 
his  return  home.  He  was  attacked  on  the  ears  by  a  mortal  di<<  ase 
contracted  in  the  service,  the  consequence  of  exposure,  and  died  with- 
in a  few  days  after  arriving  at  the  residence  of  your  petitioner.  All 
that  medical  skill  and  the  utmost  care  of  your  petitioner  could  effect, 
'vas  done  to  save  him,  but  in  vain. 

Your  petitioner  is  satisfied,  and  so  expressly  alleges,  that  the  death 
of  her  said  slave  was  occasioned  by  exposure  while  in  the  public  ser- 
vice. When  returned  to  her  he  was  suffering  under  the  attack  of  a 
mortal  disease,  which  no  care  or  effort  of  her's  or  of  her  family 
physician  could  relieve. 

Under  the  circumstances  above  stated,  your  petitioner  is  advised 
and  believes  that  she  is  entitled  to  compensation  for  the  loss  of  her 
slave.  The  evidence  which  accompanies  this  petition,  will  show  what 
his  value  was,  in  the  then  condition  of  the  currency. 

Your  petitioner  prays,  from  the  justice  of  Congress,  compensation 
for  her  property  lost  to  her  in  the  service  and  defence  of  the  Confede- 
racy. 

MARY  CLARK. 


VIRGINIA— Washington  County  : 

This  day,  William  C.  Edmondson,  personally  appeared  before  me, 
Noble  J.  McGinnis,  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  made  oath,  that  on 
the  evening  of  Sunday,  the  12th  day  of  April,  1863,  Jacob,  a  slave, 
belonging  to  Miss  Polly  Clark,  reached  the  house  of  his  affiant  about 
10  o'clock.  The  house  of  his  affiant  is  about  two  miles  from  the  plat- 
form at  Emory  and  Henry  College.  The  said  slave,  Jacob,  had  got 
off  the  train  of  the  Virginia  and  Tennessee  railroad  at  Emory 
Henry  that  evening,  in  a  condition  of  great  pain  and  suffering.  lf<' 
came  to  this  affiant's  house  on  foot,  supported  by  three  other  negro 
men,  and  was  evidently  very  severely  sick.  He  was  anxious  to  get 
home,  to  the  residence  of  his  mistress,  a  near  neighbor  of  this  affiant, 
but  was  in  such  condition  that  this  affiant,  judging  him  utterly  unfit 
and  unable  to  proceed  on  foot,  even  with  the  assistance  of  his  coloied 
friends,  sent  him  home  on  horseback,  supported  and  aided  by  two  negro 
men.     The  said  slave,  Jacob,  when  he  got  to  this  affiant's  house,  was 


*Jt*4V*~+-ts  C+CA+ 


on  his  return,  with  other  slaves  from  this  county,  from  working  on 
the  fortifications  near  Richmond,  under  a  call  marie  upon  this  county 
by  '  rovernor  Letcher. 

The  said  slave  Jacob,  was  a  remarkably  fine,  athletic  man,  about  24 
yours  old,  of  excellent  character,  and  of  great  value,  'ibis  applicant 
h  fully  three  thousand  d<  liars.     ■ 

Given  under  m\   hind,  this  20th  day  of  April.  IS'i.I. 

NTOBLB    i.   McGINNIS.  •/.   P. 


ity  : 

This  day,  Dr,  William.  F.  Barr.  of  Abingdon,  Virginia,  personally 
appeared  before  me,  John  8.  Cauldwell,  a  justice  of  the  peace,  in 
and  for  the  State  and  County,  aforesaid,  and  made  oath  as  follows  : 
That  he  was.  on  Monday  morning  about  4  o'clock,  A.  M  .  April  13th, 
i  863,  called  to  see  a  slave  belonging  to  Miss  Mary  Clark,  of  the  afore- 
said county,  by  the  name  of  Jacob,  aged  about  24  yens,  and  found 
him  attacked  very  violently,  with  pneumonia.  The  boy  Jacob,  na  \  re- 
turned but  a  few  hours  before,  from  Richmond,  where  he  had  been 
engaged  in  working  upon  the  fortifications  or  public  works  in  defence 
of  Richmond,  having  been  sent  there,  in  conformity  to  the  requisition 
up<  o  W  asjiington  county,  by  Miss  Mary  Clark  ;  that  in  his 
opinion  and  juJ-ment  the  disease  had  been  contracted  by  exposure 
before  Jacob  arrived  at  home,  as  he  (Dr.  B.)  saw  him  in  a  few  hours 
after  he  reached  his  home;  and  that  he  (Dr.  B.)  r.egarded  the  case 
not  incurable,  so  soon  as  he  saw  him.  The  boy  Jacob 
constantly  and  very  attentively  attended  to,  by  the  nurses,  who 

Miss  Clark  ;  and  that  he  (Dr.  B.)  visited 
ling  physician,  but  notwithstanding  every  effort 
e  the    said   slave,   Jacob,   died  on   Saturday 
ril  1  sth,  lso'.;. 
Given  under  my  hand,  this  80th  day  of  April,  1863. 

JOHN  S.  CAULDWELL.  /.  P. 


'  >  i  V  [A —  Washington  County,  to  wit  : 

This  day,  John  S.  Bradley,  made  oath  before  me,  a  justice  in  and 
for  said  county ;  that  he  went  to  Richmond  in  February,  1863,  to 
super  id  t.ke  care  of  a  portion  of  the  slaves,   sent  from  this 

voik  on  the  fortification  of  the  city  of  Richmond.     Amongst 
sent,  was  Jacob,  the  property  of  Mary  Clark.     He  was  not 
one    of   the    number   under   my   immediate  charge,  but  I    saw   him 
frequently  while  there.     During  the  time  the  slaves  were  at  work,  it 


rained  a  great  deal.  The  ditches  and  works  would  partially  fill  with 
water,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  dry  places,  and  the  slaves  had 
generally  to  work  with  their  feet  in  the  water.  1  left  Richmond  with 
a  portion  of  the  slaves,  -arid  among  them  Jacob,  about  half  past  four, 
P.  M.,  on  the  !  1th  of  April,  \6ti3.  and  arrived  at  Emory  and  Henry 
College  on  the  12th  of  April,  1863,  about  half  after  six,  P.  M., 
travelling  by  the  Danville,  Southside  and  Virginia  and  Tennessee 
railroads;  Jacob  got  off  the  cars  at  Emory  and  Henry  College.  Ho 
did  not  complain  to  me,  but  some  of  the  other  negroes  told  me  on  the 
way,  that  Jacob  was  complaining  of  being  !*ick. 

Given  under  iny  hand,  this  8tn  day  of  December,  1 803. 

NOBLE  J.  McGINNIS;  /.  P. 


Richmond,  March  3,  S863. 
At  the  request  of  Robert  F.  Clark,  we  have   examined   Jacob,   and 
consider  him  worth  twenty-seven  hundred  dollars;  and  Edward  Morel) 
twenty- five  hundred  and  fifty  dollars. 

D.  M.  DANIEL. 
N.  M.  LEE. 


Richmond,  March  3,  1803. 
Received  of  Mary  Clark,  the  following  slaves,  viz  :  Jacob,  for  work 
on  fortifications  ai  and  near  this  City, 

By  order  of  Lt.  Col.  W.  II.  STEVENS, 

Chief  Eaglmer,  I).  N.  V. 
J.  LAMB, 
Government  Agent. 


PH8.5 


